Want Stupidity? Listen to candidates discussing banking.

Gingrich, Gingrich, Gingrich,  to think I once loved you.  I thought you were so smart laying out a path for resolving illegal immigration, or when you spoke about the middle east.  But, why so obtuse about banking.

I heard Newt tell how he was a historian and that he could vouch for the fact that our forefathers didn't want to have a national bank.  Well that's true to a point; but wait, wasn't Hamilton a forefather?  And, didn't he want a national bank?

Let's review a few points if we're going to go down the history path:  At the founding of this nation, America was roughly 80% agricultural.  Farmers didn't like hard currency.  They preferred a bit of inflation.  Why?  Because they had to buy seed in the spring.  Then too they had to feed the mule for several months if the animal was to pull a plow.  Oh, and we mustn't forget the farmer and his family who had to eat during the planting and growing season.  It wasn't uncommon for him to go to the bank to borrow some money.

Okay, now the crops are harvested and he sells his output.  Time to repay the bank.  It's no problem for him if the money is a bit weaker.  If during the planting and growing there's been 5% inflation and he was charged by the bank 5% interest, he's then gotten his money at essentially no interest.  Good for the farmer; bad for the bank.  And, in a nutshell, that's why most American's didn't want hard currency.  It's why they didn't want gold based currency.  It's why the planter, Thomas Jefferson, didn't want a national bank.

But, Hamilton had a commercial background.  He had been born in a British territory in the Caribbean.  He understood the importance of a national bank.  He understood how it had made the UK one of the strongest nations of its day.  Through his efforts, America established a national bank. 

Then along comes Andrew Jackson, a man of the people.  There's much good that can be said of him, but a financial genius he wasn't.  He put an end to America's national bank.  That led to a number of booms and busts and the joys of wildcat banking.  In time, the wisdom of having a national bank became apparent.  But, of course, we couldn't call it a national bank, so we called it the Federal Reserve.  But make no mistake.  It's our national bank.

Okay, so what's so wrong with a gold standard?  It's inadequate for an industrial nation.  If there's a lot of economic activity, if we're doing a lot of building, we need a money supply that can be expanded more than is possible with an item as inflexible in its supply as gold.  Can a system without gold be abused?  Of course.  That's why we try to remove it from the political sphere.

A national bank can't do everything.  It can manage monetary matters, but has little or no control over fiscal matters.  Fiscal matters are in the domain of the Congress, and we see how well that's gone.

Don't they teach this stuff in high school?

Taking A Wizz On Taliban Dead

In all faiths, we are taught to respect the dead.  But, we know it doesn't always work that way.  Jordanian soldiers taking territory in Jerusalem in 1948 used Jewish headstones to build latrines.  The treatment of prisoners by the Japanese during WW II was infamous.  The beheading of Daniel Perl, a non-combatent journalist, by the Islamic fanatics, or the murder of Israelis athletes during the Munich Olympics in the '80s are, in my opinion, far more horrific than desecrating a dead body.

Should our Marine snipers have urinated on the Taliban dead that they killed   in the course of battle?  Of course not.  But, let's be clear; it wasn't torture of a human.  It wasn't murder of non-combatants.  It was disrespecting fallen enemies.  Not nice.  But, on the spectrum of behavior of warriors in the field of battle, it wasn't the worst sort of crime.  Was it a crime?  Yes.  But, it wasn't grand larceny.

So what could have motivated such behavior?  Most of us will never understand.  Only a warrior -- part of a small group of marines sent out to do battle with a more numerous enemy hardly known for their humane treatment of prisoners  -- can understand the pressures and stresses under which these men operate.  I say give them a break.  Some punishment is in order.  But don't bring down a hammer.  Also, teach them to stop shooting off their cameras in situations where they find it necessary to relieve tension.

Romney vs the other Republicans Seeking the Candidacy

We've had the Iowa caucus and the NH primary and it's pretty clear now, if it wasn't clear earlier, that Romney will be the man to go up against Obama. And, it's not just his numbers; it's also the body language of many of the other candidates. Here's what I mean:

Huntsman -- He's well liked and highly regarded (especially by Democrats), but he has no chance of getting the nomination. It's his body language. He's not as erect as the other candidates, with the possible exception of Ron Paul -- but then Ron Paul looks a lot older. Huntsman will turn his head one way but look slightly in another direction. With all his money, why didn't Huntsman get himself a speaking coach?

Newt -- He looks great in a debate. But, it's gone on too long for him. He seems to have alienated a whole lot of people in the Republican Party and it's now pay back time. Most damning: he seems erratic and ill organized. His failure to get on the primary ballot in Virginia strikes me as especially telling.

Santorum -- He's a right-to-life person. And, while many on the right favor that position, they know most of America doesn't. So they've shelved Santorum; they really, really want to get rid of Obama.

Backmann -- She's already out. But why? Objective people found her to be bright. And, she's attractive. But, again, she's a right-to-life person. And, while she spoke well, her hard edge and steely stare worked against her.

Perry -- He gives the appearance of a George W. Bush lite. For most Republicans he's a been-there, done-that, and not-again (at this time) person.

Ron Paul -- Republicans are not going for an isolationist. But, he is frightening when you consider that his support comes from the youth sector of America. What do his numbers say about these young people?  That's what's scary.